Float valve control



May 30, 1967 c. L. GOLDTRAP FLOAT VALVE CONTROL 5 Sheets-Sheet 1- Orignal F"led Deo. l1, 1958 May 30, 1967 c.' L. GOLDTRAP FLOAT VALVE CONTROL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec. llJ 1958 l lll.

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Charly L. Goldffczp,

May 30, 1967 c. l.. GOLDTRAP FLOAT VALVE CONTROL 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Dec. ll, 1958 INVENTOR.

CharZQj/Lo/dfmp 582.: 4M Y QOLA United States Patent 3,321,972 FLOAT VALVE CONTROL Charley L. Goldtrap, Englewood, Colo., assignor to Twentieth Century Products Corporation, Denver, Colo., a corporation of Colorado Application Jan. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 249,954, now Patent No. 3,144,875, dated Aug. 18, 1964, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 779,739, Dec. 11, 1958. Divided and this application May 27, 1964, Ser. No. 376,287

2 Claims. (Cl. 73-322.5)

This application is a division of application Serial No. 249,954, tiled January 7, 1963, now United States Patent 3,144,875 dated August 18, 1964, which last-mentioned application is a continuation of application Serial No. 779,739, filed December 1l, 1958 and now abandoned.

This invention relates generally to the plumbing art, and more specifically to a new and useful toilet tank supply valve assembly.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a toilet tank supply valve assembly characterized by its simplicity, and by the absence of compound lever actions and the like.

It is another object of this invention to provide the foregoing in a supply valve assembly having a positive opening and closing action utilizing the weight of water and existing water pressure to provide hydraulically balanced operation at all times.

Still another object of this invention is to provide the fore-going in a supply valve assembly which is very quiet in operation, which can be made entirely of noncorrosive materials, and which is both durable and dependable in operation. i

In one aspect thereof, a toilet tank supply valve assembly constructed in accord with my invention is characterized `by the provision of an inlet casing supporting a oat for rising and falling relative thereto; the casing being adapted for connection to a source of water under pressure and having a first valve positioned intermediate its opposite ends and dening a pressure chamber therein, a lirst water outlet communicating with the casing on the side of the first valve opposite the pressure chamber, a first valve seat positioned on the same side of the rst valve and associated with both the iirst water outlet and the rst valve for engagement by the latter to close the former, a pressure equalizing orifice through the rst valve into the pressure chamber whereby the latter is at i all times in communication with water under source pressure, a second water outlet communicating with the pressure chamber, a second valve for closing the second water outlet, the iirst and second valves normally closing the first and second water outlets, respectively, and valve unseating means carried by the oat and engaging the second valve as the iloat falls for opening the second water outlet and relieving the water pressure in the chamber thereby ena-bling movement of the iirst valve to open the first water outlet, and the second valve moving to close the second water outlet as the float rises thereby enabling the build up of pressure in the chamber to close the first valve.

In another aspect thereof, a toilet tank supply valve assembly constructed in accord with my invention is characterized `by the provision of a float supported on an inlet casing for rising and falling relative thereto in response to filling and flushing, respectively, of an associated toilet tank, wherein the float comprises multiple parts adjustable one relative to another to selectively vary the water level normally maintained in the toilet tank.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages and characterizing features of a toilet tank supply valve assembly constructed in accord with my invention will become clearly apparent from the ensuing detailed detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals denote like parts throughout the various views and wherein:

FIG. l is a fragmentary, sectional view of a toilet tank illustrating my new supply valve assembly operatively installed therein:

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of my supply valve assembly, illustrating the same in its closed position;

FIG. 3 is a similar View, but showing my supply valve assembly in open position subsequent to liushing of the toilet by dumping the water normally contained in the tank;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are views similar to those of FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively, -but showing a slightly modified construction incorporating a oat which is adjustable to selectively vary the water level normally maintained in the tank; and

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the bleeder valve actuator portion of the iioat of FIG. 4.

Referring now in. detail to the particular embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the supply valve assembly of my invention is adapted for use in, for example, a toilet tank 1 having a top cover 2 and equipped with a flush or dump valve assembly comprising a seat 3 for a stopper ball 4, the ball 4 having a hinged guide 5 and being arranged to be lifted from the seat 3 by turning a handle, not illustrated, or the like to actuate a Hush lever 6 connected to ball 4 by a member 7. Seat 3 is coupled to an outlet conduit 8 leading to the toilet bowl, not illustrated, and locked in position as by a nut 9, and an overflow pipe 10 communicates with outlet conduit S through valve seat 3, all in a known manner. The foregoing is lof course conventional and per se no part of my invention.

The supply valve assembly of my invention is adapted to communicate with the usual tank supply line 12 leading to a source of -water under pressure, not illustrated, and comprises an elongated, normally generally upright inlet, casing 13having adjacent its lower end a laterally enlarged body portion 14 and terminating therebelow in an inlet conduit portion in the form of a nipple 15 which extends through the bottom Wall of tank 1. Nipple 15 is conected to supply line 12 by an apropriate coupling 16, and carries a `gasket or other sealing means 17 bearing against the inner surface of the tank bottom wall to provide a water tight seal, the assembly being locked in position on the bottom wall of the tank as by a lock nut 18.

The casing body portion 14 forms a shoulder for bearing against the inner bottom iwall of the tank, and accommodates valve and outlet means as will be described.

Casing 13 is elongated, and the illustrated embodiment is in the form of a hollow cylinder although it need not necessarily have such external configuration. A oat member, generally designated 18, is provided, having a relatively thick top wall portion 19, for a purpose to be described, and a hollow body portion Ztl) of annular form. The body portion 20 is open at its center for slidingly receiving the casing 13, whereby float 18 is supported on and guided by casing 13 for rising and falling movement. Y Casing 13 is provided internally thereof, adjacent -body portion 14 and inlet nipple 15, with a rst valve seat 21 defining an inlet passage 22, the valve seat 21 being spaced from the inner wall of casing 13 to provide a generally annular water outlet manifold pass-age 23 leading to a plurality of laterial outlet passages 24, one of which extends through a nipple 25 adapted to receive a cond-uit 26 leading to the overflow pipe 10 to lill an associated toilet bowl. A main Valve is provided in the form of a diaphragm 27 secured in the enlarged body 14 of the casing and adapted to bear against the valve seat 21 as illustrated in FIG. 2, in which position it closes off inlet passage 22 from outlet passage 23. Diaphragm 27 also separates the upper portion of casing 13 from the lower, inlet portion thereof, to define a pres-sure chamber 28 comprising that portion of casing 13 which is above diaphragm 27. To maintain chamber 28 open at all times to source pressure, there is provided a diaphragm orifice in the form of a plug member 29 extending through diaphragm 27 and containing a restricted orice 3), pl-ug 29 having tapered portions on opposite sides of diaphragm 27 with the lowermost tapered portion being adapted to enter inlet passage 22 through valve seat 21 when the diaphragm v-alve 27 is in its closed position. Valve 27 is held against its seat 21 by the pressure of water in chamber 28 which acts `on a larger effective area of diaphragm 27 than does the pressure of water in inlet passage 22.

At its upper end, casing 13 is provided with a bleed water outlet passage 31, of greater diameter than the pressure equalizing passage or orifice 30, extending through a valve seat 32 adapted to receive a float type bleed valve member 33 thereagainst.

Valve member 33 has a base in the form of an inverted cup, for better otation, the upper suface of which is adapted to bear against the seat 32. A post 34 extends from the valve base through outlet passage 31, which still remains larger than orifice 30, to a point beyond the upper end f casing 13, terminating in a generally conical tip 35 providing a cam surface. Valve 33 therefore is adapted to fioat into posi-tion against its seat 32, and to be held thereagainst by the water in cham-ber 28.

The float member head 19 has on its under surface an inverted conical recess providing a cam surface 36 positioned olf center relative to body portion 20 so as to be eccentric with respect to the cam end 35 on valve memyber 33. The oat cam surface 36 -comprises a valve actuating portion which engages the cam surface 35 of valve 33 when float 18 drops from the position of FIG. 2 to that of FIG. 3 and cants valve 33 while moving it away from valve seat 32, to open outlet passage 31. A cushioning gasket 27 is .provided around the post projection 34, to bear against the upper end of casing 13, and transverse passages 38 in the form of notches or grooves are provided on the upper end surface of casing 13, so that water can pass from chamber 28 through outlet passage 31, lateral passages 38 and between casing 13 and the interior of float body 20 into tank 1, even when float 18 is in the position of FIG. 3.

In operation, assume that the water level in tank 1 is `at about line A (FIG. 1). The supply valve assembly is in the position of FIG. 2, whereinvalve 33 has closed the bleed outlet 31 at the top of casing 13, and valve 27 has closed the main water outlet passage 23. If the water in tank 1 is dumped, by lifting stopper ball 4, the float 18, which has water trapped therein below the level of the opening 40 in its side wall, will fall. When float 18 falls its valve actuating surface 36 is caused to bear against projection 34 of valve 33 and move the same 'downwardly away from the seat 32. This opens the Water bleed passage 31 permitting water within the charn- IDer 28, which is a-t source pressure because of equalizing orifice 30, to escape through the outlet 31, thereby re- Iieving the pressure within the chamber 28. Because the vdescending float cants valve 33, the seal between the valve and its seat is broken easily and quickly. Once the pressure in chamber 28 has been relieved diaphragm 27, comprising the main valve, will shift upwardly in response to the source pressure on its undersurface to the position illustrated in FIG. 3, permitting Water to pass through inlet passage 22 into outlet manifold passage 23 and out through the main outlet passages 24, to fill the tank. As the water level rises above the top of opening 4t) in float member 18', it traps air in the upper portion of 4. the body part 20 thereof, following which the float becomes buoyant and Lbegins to rise. After float 18 has risen a predetermined amount the valve 33, which is of light weight material having a lesser specific gravity than Water and which therefore will oat, is free to rise and close the bleeder outlet 31.

Once the bleeder valve 33 closes, pressure begins to build up in chamber 28, this being however a relatively slow process because of the restricted size of orice 30. Therefore, water continues to ow through the outlets 24, to continue filling the tank and to fill the outlet toilet bowl. By the time float 18 reaches its position of rest, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the water in chamber 28 is at substantially source pressure, diaphragm 27 moves to closed position under the influence of gravity. Once diaphragm 27 moves to its closed position, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is held thereagainst by the source pressure in chamber 28 which acts against a relatively large area of diaphragm 27 on its upper surface, in opposition to the source pressure in inlet 22, which acts against only a restricted area of the diaphragm on its undersurface. At this point, the main outlet passages 24 are closed, as well as the bleeder passage 31, and the system is at rest.

It is noted that, in addition to providing the orice 30, the tapered plug 29 will tend to deflect debris away from orifice 30 and thereby prevent the same from becoming clogged. Also, the eccentric relation between valve 33 and the actuating surface 36 therefore accommodates rotation of the fioat relative to casing 13 and obviates any necessity for a sliding guide therebetween.

Where it might be desired to vary the water level normally `maintained in the toilet tank, either above or below level A illustrated in FIG. 1, I provide the supply valve assembly of my invention with a float which is adjustable for this purpose. One form of such an adjustable float is illustrated at 18 in FIG. 4 wherein it is seen that, instead of the one piece construction illustrated in FIGS. l-3, the float 18 is composed of three separate, and separable, parts comprising an air chamber portion 20 (corresponding to that part of body 20 of float 18 which is above opening 40), a water chamber portion 20 (corresponding to that portion of body 20 of float 18 which is below opening 40), and a bleeder valve actuator 19 (corresponding to the top wall 19 of oat 18 with its actuator surface portion 36).

The air chamber portion 20' of float 18 is formed to provide outer and inner, concentric, annular skirt portions 42 and 43, respectively, to define an annular air chamber therebetween, with the inner skirt portion 43 extending beyond skirt 42 and having on its inner wall a helical groove 44 comprising a female thread. The air chamber portion 29 is completed by a top wall 19 thereacross.

The water chamber portion 20 comprises outer and inner, concentric, annular skirt portions 45 and 46, respectively, defining an annular water chamber therebetween and joined by a bottom wall 47. Skirt 46 extends beyond skirt 45 in telescopic relation to the air chamber skirt 43, which latter receives the skirt 46 therein.

The actuator 19' has generally theform of a cup, with an upstanding annular side wall 47 having an upwardly and outwardly tapering portion 48 providing an upwardly facing, annular shoulder 49 therearound, between the upper and lower edges thereof. Shoulder 49 is adapted to snap-t into a corresponding annular recess 50 in the inner wall portion of skirt 46, adjacent the upper end thereof, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 4.

Actuator 19 is formed eccentrically thereof with an upward, generally conical but rounded depression S1 providing a valve actuating surface 36 (corresponding to surface 36 in float 18), and is formed with a laterally directed lug 52 which projects generally radially beyond shoulder 49 across the upper end of skirt 46, which is notched to receive the same, `into engagement with the female thread 44.

Actuator 19 is assembled to water chamber portion of oat 18' by inserting it into the upper end of skirt 46 until shoulder 49 snaps into recess 50, thereby locking these parts in engagement. Then, air chamber portion 20' is threaded onto the assembled water chamber portion 20" and actuator 19', with its inner skirt 43 telescopically receiving the same and with lug 52 of the actuator in screw threaded engagement with the groove or thread 44.

It will be observed from FIG. 4 that a space 4d' is provided between the outer skirts 42 and 45 of the float portions 20' and 20", respectively, corresponding to opening 40 in fioat 18. Water normally fills the chamber portion 20" and Weights the same, this being initially accomplished when the assembly is installed by temporarily holding tioat 18 down while the tank is lling, and in normal operation as the water in the tank rises to the upper edge of opening 40', reaching the lower edge of skirt 42, air is trapped in the air chamber portion 20' and the float thereafter becomes buoyant and rises, to close the bleed valve in the manner previously described.

However, with a float construction such as illustrated in FIG. 4, the height of opening 40' is selectively Varied by simply threading air chamber portion 20' further down on water chamber portion 20" or away therefrom, to alternately lower and raise skirt 42, defining the upper edge of opening 40 relative to skirt 45 and thereby correspondingly vary the level of water normally maintained in the tank. This occurs because fioat 18' does not become buoyant and rise, to enable closing of bleed valve 33 and the subsequent closing of main valve 20 to stop filling of the tank, until the water level in the tank has reached the lower edge portion of skirt 42. When skirt 42 is elevated, relative to skirt 45, a higher level of water is required to render the float buoyant, and when skirt 42 is lowered, relative to skirt 45, a lower level of water is required.

Therefore, the water level normally maintained in the tank can be selectively varied to meet the requirements of different installations, and situations, providing a` supply valve assembly of great flexibility, and this is a feature of considerable significance.

It will be noted that other details of the valve assembly have been slightly modified in the embodiment of FIGS. 4-6. For example, the inlet casing 13 has ribs 53 spaced therearound and extending lengthwise thereof, there being one set of, for example, four such ribs adjacent the upper end thereof and another set adjacent the lower end. These Vribs act as spacers, centering float 18' on casing 13' while enabling the passage of water therebetween. Also, when float 18 falls, actuator 19' is held spaced from the upper end of the inlet casing 13', to permit the passage of water thereacross, by spaced upstanding lugs 38'. In addition, the bleeder tioat valve 33', instead of being formed in one piece, can comprise an inverted cup 33' receiving in snap fitting relation therewith the shouldered lower end of a projecting post portion 34', which latter terminates in a rounded cam portion 35'.

Casing 13 is formed in two parts, bonded together as indicated at 54, and gasket 27 is confined in place by a spacer ring 55 having a dished under surface 56 for receiving the diaphragm thereagainst upon movement of the valve to open position, corresponding to that illustrated in FIG. 3, and formed with a number of holes 57 therethrough for the passage of water. The valve seat u21' is formed with a tapered upper edge 58 projecting tti slightly into the volume defined by the spacer ring 5,5, to insure proper seating of diaphragm 27 thereagainst when in closed position and it will be noted that the spacer ring 55 has annular, depending flange portions 59 and et) formed to cooperate with an upstanding annular tiange 61 on the lower part of inlet casing 13' and lock gasket 27 in position.

yIt is believed that the foregoing modifications oiier certain advantages in production, but it will of course be understood that the adjustable tioat 18 can be provided vin an assembly constructed as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, and is not limited to use with an assembly having the further details of construction illustrated in FIGS. 4 6.

The diameter of orifice 3l) is important and must be maintained, for proper functioning of the valve assembly. To this end, the conical form of the orifice member detiects debris away from the orifice so that, for example, debris carried by supply water is caused to pass `through outlet passage 24 and only clear water passes through the ori-tice itself. Also, the member 29 can be madey completely of noncorrosive material, to avoid clogging of the orifice because of corrosion.

Therefore, it is seen that my invention fully accomplishes its intended objects, and while I have disclosed and described in detail herein only certain embodiments of my invention, the same are to be considered as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Having fully disclosed and completely described my invention, together with its mode of operation, what I claim as new is:

1. A oat comprising inner and outer skirts defining a generally annular liquid chamber portion and a generally annular air chamber portion, said inner skirts slidably receiving a normally upright support, said outer skirts normally being spaced apart lengthwise of said support to provide an annular opening for entry of liquid into said liquid chamber and trapping of air in said air chamber, said inner skirts telescoping one within another for relative .movement of said fioat portions lengthwise of said support to vary the height of said opening and thereby vary the level of liquid normally maintained in an associated tank.

2. A fioat comprising, generally concentric inner and outer skirts defining a pair of generally aligned annular liquid and gas chambers, each of said chambers being closed at one end thereof, said chambers opening toward each other at the other ends thereof, said outer skirts being spaced apart to provide an opening therebetween, and said inner skirts being slidably telescoped in adjusted position for selectively adjusting the spacing between said outer skirts.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,002,252 9/1911 Fitts et al. 137-432 X 1,096,788 5/1914 Madden 73-3225 X 1,915,716 6/1933 Bradshaw 73-322-5 X 2,678,058 5/1954 Richardson 73--3225 X 2,747,043 5/1956` Schaefer 73-322.5 X

LOUIS R. PRINCE, Primary Examiner.

D. M. YASICH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A FLOAT COMPRISING INNER AND OUTER SKIRTS DEFINING A GENERALLY ANNULAR LIQUID CHAMBER PORTION AND A GENERALLY ANNULAR AIR CHAMBER PORTION, SAID INNER SKIRTS SLIDABLY RECEIVING A NORMALLY UPRIGHT SUPPORT, SAID OUTER SKIRTS NORMALLY BEING SPACED APART LENGTHWISE OF SAID SUPPORT TO PROVIDE AN ANNULAR OPENING FOR ENTRY OF LIQUID INTO SAID LIQUID CHAMBER AND TRAPPING OF AIR IN SAID AIR CHAMBER, SAID INNER SKIRTS TELESCOPING ONE WITHIN ANOTHER FOR RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID FLOAT PORTIONS LENGTHWISE OF SAID SUPPORT TO VARY THE HEIGHT OF SAID OPENING AND THEREBY VARY THE LEVEL OF LIQUID NORMALLY MAINTAINED IN AN ASSOCIATED TANK. 